Friday, 4.6
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the UW School of Medicine and Public Health disciplined 20 doctors for writing questionable sick notes to people during last year's protests. Three doctors were fined $4,000 each and suspended from leadership positions.
The State Journal reports that the official cleanup from last year's Capitol protests will likely cost $200,000, not the staggering $7.5 million state officials first estimated.
Monday, 4.9
Gov. Walker says he wants to revive a controversial proposal requiring police to take DNA samples of some suspects. The plan could add tens of thousands of samples to the state's database, but at a cost of millions. "DNA is the modern fingerprint," Walker says in a statement.
The Obama administration announces that Wisconsin can compete for a new $133 million round of Race to the Top educational funding.
The state Department of Transportation and a bonding company agree to restart a $6 million Fitchburg highway project that had been stalled since December. The contractor in the project, Mann Brothers of Elkhorn, defaulted on payments to workers and suppliers, putting the project on hold. It includes construction of a bridge and interchange on Highway 14 south of Madison.
Tuesday, 4.10
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Secretary of State Doug La Follette and state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout all file nomination papers to run for governor in the recall election against Scott Walker. The four will square off in the May 8 Democratic primary. Arthur Kohl Riggs, a protester, and Michael Mangan both file to run as Republicans.
Gov. Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch kick off their recall campaign with an event in the town of Dane north of Madison. "The other side was talking a lot about attacks," Walker tells the crowd. "They want to make this division." Has this guy seen his own literature?
Wednesday, 4.11
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announces the county is moving ahead with plans for a second "cow power" facility, this one in Springfield, which will turn manure into methane gas and low-phosphorus fertilizer. "Converting manure into electricity not only provides a 24/7 source of renewable energy, but also helps keep algae-causing phosphorus out of our lakes," says dairy farmer Greg Ziegler.
Compiled, in part, from local media.
